Official keeping eye on Estes Park water supply

Estes Park not among communities eyeing water restrictions

By John Cordsen

Trail-Gazette

Posted:
04/05/2013 07:20:25 AM MDT

Tuesday's cold and snow gives way to a spectacular sunrise on Wednesday. The spring storm dropped three inches of wet, heavy snow on Estes Park, but hardly a drop in a very dry bucket as summer approaches. (Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette)

Click photo to enlarge

Tuesday's cold and snow gives way to a spectacular sunrise on Wednesday. The spring storm dropped three inches of wet, heavy snow on Estes Park, but hardly a drop in a very dry bucket as summer approaches.

Drought conditions are causing numerous Front Range communities to either impose summer water restrictions, or at least consider them. Estes Park though is not among them.

"At this time, we do not foresee the need for mandatory water restrictions," said Reuben Bergsten, Utilities Director, Town of Estes Park. "If drought conditions warrant, we may request voluntary conservation efforts. Based on our experience during the 2002 drought, this was effective."

Denver, Fort Collins, Greeley and Longmont residents are already facing summer restrictions, and Loveland may consider restrictions during a mid-May city council meeting.

The water problem starts with the lack of snow in the high country. The recent snow aside, reporting areas west of Estes Park are drastically below historical levels. Through March, sites in the Big Thompson River watershed in Rocky Mountain National Park are close to being parched, with water equivalents ranging from a low of 30 percent of the 30-year average to 61 percent of the 30-year average. They are also well below the 2012 totals, which were also down.

The Deer Ridge Junction was just 30 percent of the 30-year average for water content in the sparse snow. The average snow depth at this junction not far from the Beaver Meadows entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park was a scant 6 inches. This translated out to 1.3 inches of moisture. The 30-year average is 4.4 inches of moisture in the March readings.

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Bear Lake was on the other end of the spectrum with an average snow depth of 40 inches, which equates to 10.1 inches of moisture, or 61 percent of the 30-year average.

Estes Park's altitude actually diminishes some of the need for large volumes of water needed to irrigate lawns in communities along the Front Range.

"Our community is unique -- we don't have a lot of irrigation systems, and most of us don't keep well-groomed lawns," said Bergsten. "In fact, the average water consumption per person in Estes Park is just over half that of a person living in a front range community."

Bergsten said being good stewards of public resources is a mission of the Town of Estes Park. One way he said this is accomplished is by financing capital projects to replace aging water mains in the distribution system, reducing water loss by leakage.

Water customers also appear to self-regulate themselves when it comes to water usage.

"Believe it or not, the most water ever treated by the Town of Estes Park was in 1975, the year before installation of customer water meters," said Bergsten. "Whether or not we must conserve water, it's a good practice and the simplest things add up. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Pick up a water-conserving shower head, faucet and toilet kit -- we offer these free for our customers in the utilities office at town hall. Find your water meter and confirm the small usage indicator dial isn't spinning during a time when no water should be running. If you think you may have a leak, give us or your plumber a call to help you evaluate the situation."

Consumption varies between families based on the number of showers taken and the amount of laundry they're doing, etc. The average residential water account uses about 5,000 gallons a month.

"I have two preteens at home, and in the summer we use 7,000 gallons in a month," said Bergsten.

The town is also working to provide a quick reference web page listing conservation measures from its water conservation plan, along with links to other helpful references.

"All signs point to another dry summer," said Bergsten. "Let's hope for lots of rain, but take steps to use our water wisely either way."

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